There’s nothing worse than the dreaded “hey girly” message, but a superstar like Selena Gomez is probably the last person you’d expect to be on the receiving end of one. However, it seems that might be the case, as multiple TikTokers claimed they’ve recently seen her new beau, Benny Blanco, on Raya.
Raya is a private, invitation-based dating app that counts Channing Tatum, Kiernan Shipka, Demi Lovato, and (previously) Ben Affleck among its members. While the app is mainly known for its celebrity clientele, micro-influencers and other less famous people in the media industry can get on the app, provided they have references from current members.
According to TikToker Amanda (@amandachristine_1), rumors started circulating after Selena Gomez responded to Instagram user @martim.ncmendonca’s comment about the relationship on a Pop Faction post. Then, the pop culture update account Pop Faction made another post about a TikToker who claimed to have seen Blanco on the app a week before the post was made, despite Gomez and Blanco reportedly having been in a relationship for the past six months.
Amanda also highlighted a comment on one of her previous videos in which the commenter also claims to have seen Blanco on the app recently. And in the comments section of this TikTok, countless other users said they saw Blanco too.
“I did see him on Raya, but for all we know he didn’t deactivate but deleted the app?” one commenter suggested. “I saw him on it about a month ago.”
“Def active on Raya in the last few months,” another added. “Matched with him.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Amanda via email and to Blanco and Gomez via emails to their respective publicists. They did not immediately respond to the requests for comment.
But is everything as it seems? Creator Keely Amelia (@keelyamelia) doesn’t think so, as she recounted a similar experience she had with her fiance. After he went on The Bachelor during the early stages of their relationship, Amelia received a “hey girly” text saying that he was still active on Raya.
“I made him redownload Raya, and I see, like, his activity, and he hasn’t been active since literally before we even started talking. … I guess when you get a Raya membership, you, like, pay for either six months or a year or something like that. And it’s like whatever you pay for, your profile is still gonna be active until that period is over,” she said. “But maybe this is what’s going on with Benny Blanco and Selena.”
“But Selena, girl, you got this, girl,” she added. “The early stages of the relationship are tough!”
Amelia didn’t immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via TikTok comment.
